Yasomie Peiris
It was almost past 5 O’clock. However, the lifts weren’t as crowded as many building officers worked on a roster due to the pandemic.
I walked across the narrow alley to get the 174 bus.
As usual, the receptionist on the 6th floor was waiting for her bus. I have seen her twice this week at the bus stop. We smiled through the protective mask.
She wears sari like I do. In addition, she wears a tiny red bindi on her fair forehead and a streak of brilliant red powder on the parting of her hair.
‘Hi,’ I said and waved at her. She returned my gesture.
The bus she travels turned the corner. She got in and waved at me again.
Monday morning, I met her in the lift.
‘Good morning, she said. ‘I am Prageetha’, she introduced herself. I greeted her. ‘I work at the Ministry, on the 7th floor, and my name is Rashmi’, I said.
The lift stopped on the 6th floor.
Prageetha did not get off but looked pale and sick.
‘Aren’t you getting off? It’s the 6th floor’, I spoke to her.
‘Prageetha, are you ok?’ I asked her.
She shook her head.
The lift stopped on the 7th floor, and the other three officers got off.
I held Prgeetha by her hand and helped her out of the lift. I felt she was about to faint.
Her eyes rolled, sweating, and she flopped on the floor; since I held her on, she was safe without injury.
I summoned a person from the office and got a bottle of water and a newspaper to fan her.
I removed her face mask and tabbed her face with water.
‘Prageetha’, I said.
‘What happened to me? Why am I on the floor?’ she questioned.
‘You fainted and do you feel better now?’ I asked her.
She stood holding me. I took her to my office room, switched the AC and made her comfortable on the sofa. She drank the water. She seemed ok to me.
‘Have you had your breakfast? Do you have fever?’ I asked her sympathetically.
‘No, I couldn’t have my breakfast. It is in my bag. I travelled from Kandy today in the 4 am bus; to be in office on time. I am still on probation.’ She explained to me.
I showed her the washroom. I had sanitiser, soap and all amenities.
I smiled at her. ‘Don’t worry, sit with me and let us have breakfast together.’ I said.
‘I feel dizzy and need to puke’, she said. She fumbled into the washroom.
She came out panting with her long jet-black plait tied up and rolled like a bun.
In the meantime, I ordered two cups of tea for us.
My office mates were not happy at all. ‘We are sure, she is a Corona patient, and you shouldn’t have got her to our office. We will have to do PCR tests. Will you pay for us?’ They went on complaining like parrots.
‘Please, calm down all of you. She is not a Corona patient. She has travelled from Kandy early hours of the morning. Please don’t panic. I will do what is right and necessary. I will help her.’
The office aide tapped on the door, gave the tea on a tray and vanished like quicksilver.
I called the 6th floor and informed Prageetha was in the office. She is a bit sick. I will come down and punch her attendance. Her name read as Prageetha Vasudevan. She is a Tamil girl. I guessed from her accent and bindi. Maybe she is boarded in Colombo to attend office. I didn’t know anything about her. I am happy I acquired a new friend!
‘How do you feel now, Prageetha? Do you think you have any symptoms of Covid? Can I help you to go to the doctor? I asked her kindly.
‘You have washed your bindi!’ I said with a smile.
She blushed and looked down and was tangling with her sari fall.
‘Prageetha, what is it?
‘I am pregnant. Three months on the way and some days I feel very sick.’
‘Thank you for being helpful and being a kind soul. People hardly talk to me. Is it because I am Tamil?’
‘Congratulations! I am very happy for you and your husband.’
‘No, No, there is no discrimination. You feel that way because you are new to the office.’ I said
‘People are frightened of the pandemic situation and may be do not want to converse freely.’
We had our breakfast and tea while talking. Then, she offered me a Dose with curry, packed in a stainless steel round tin. I enjoyed it very much. It was nice to eat something different in the morning than my sandwich!
She wasn’t in a mood to eat. I persuaded her that she shouldn’t go hungry.
‘I am expecting my baby in December.’
‘That’s lovely! Is the baby a he or she?’
‘My scan appointment is next week. I will get the scan done during the weekend in Kandy.’
‘I am sure you will have daughter.’ I said.
‘You can dress her up in beautiful dresses and make her look gorgeous.’
She smiled happily.
‘Can I tell you something? Please don’t talk about it to anyone in the office.’ She pleaded.
‘I promise. I won’t let you down.’ I stretched my arm to keep her hand on mine.
‘My husband Arjun has a girl friend. He works in Kandy and meets her during week days and they stay together on some days. I love him! He has cheated on me and our child.’ She burst out crying.
‘I do love and care for him as always. Please, Lord Ganesh bring him back to me.’ She mumbled in tears and brushed off the mascara on her cheeks.
I was shocked. With little experience in such matters, I could only say sorry to her. My eyes too filled with tears.
She combed her hair and went downstairs to her reception table.
‘Please, call me if you want any help.’ I gave her my mobile number.
We met regularly that week.
‘I will call you when I do the scan.’ She whispered.
‘Yes, please.’
She didn’t attend the office and didn’t call me either.
She had taken no-pay leave for a week.
I thought of her and why she was on leave.
I was reluctant to call her, not knowing the situation at home. I thought I will give her time to reach up to me.
I met her on Wednesday the following week. She gave me a bright smile.
‘Can I come to your office, please?’
‘Yes sure. Please do.’ I said.
She sat on the sofa. ‘I am expecting twins! Girls!’ she said with tear-filled eyes.
‘Congratulations. Isn’t it lovely to give birth to two beautiful girls? I am so happy for you and……… I gulped down the words.
I advised her to be very careful when travelling, with the present health situation in the country. She won’t be able to get vaccinated due to her pregnancy when the vaccines arrive soon in Sri Lanka.
Six months went by……..
Our friendship blossomed.
She was always in tears. She had family issues as well as financial problems. I got all that I could for the mother and the twins. I, too, was excited to see them in a few more months.
Her belly was noticeable, and she wore long loose dresses.
One day, late in the night, she called me from her boarding.
‘I have developed fever and have an unbearable headache.’ She said, crying.
I called the Suwa Seriya ambulance service and gave all the details. They arrived very fast, and she was admitted to the hospital. She was tested Covid positive.
I informed her mother in Kandy. ‘She has been hospitalised and is in safe hands.’ I said.
She cried…..
I was informed that she was transferred to a different ward due to her pregnancy.
I was scared for her and the babies.
Two weeks went by, and Prageetha recovered. She called and thanked me profusely.
She was taken to Kandy. She was on given leave until her confinement and until the situation in the country was better.
The pandemic was getting aggravated, and I also worked from home.
In mid-December, Prageetha gave birth to twins. She sent me pictures.
They were named “Aasha”, meaning desire and ‘Aashi”, meaning happiness.
She loved and adored the girls. They were like her pair of eyes.
I couriered a card for my friend and gifts for Aasha and Aashi!
I couldn’t visit them due to the pandemic.
Early January, Prageetha called me brimming with happiness…..
Arjun came home and apologised to my parents and me. He said he was a fool and would be a sincere father to the girls and a good husband to me. She went on to say that he loved her, and she loved him…. I was overwhelmed with joy!!
A week later….
‘Rashmi, Arjun is down with Covid. His condition is grave. Please pray for us. I love him. We are one family…..’ Prageetha cried.
Three days later….
‘Rashmi, my Aashi, my happiness is having fever having difficulty in breathing and was admitted to the ICU in the Covid ward.’
‘I am with my happiness now.’ She cried and cried.
‘Stay safe. Protect yourself. She will be ok. How is Arjun?’
‘His health has improved.’
I was worried and sad for Prageetha. Why should she suffer every day of her life? Will she not have a day of love, true love and not bitter love?
I wished for Prageetha that the blessings of the gods and goddesses she believed in protect her little Aashi and Arjun from this deadly disease.
Two days later……
‘Rashmi………he is no more. He has left me forever from this world. I loved Arjun……why should he have left us so soon? Tell me?’
The phone went dead.
I was devastated at the tragic news. But, why should it be for her always?
They just bonded in love, and now he closes his eyes, leaving his wife and daughters, Aasha and Aashi, who craved his love, immense unconditional love for a lifetime. Their love was blossoming again, and death ripped her heart once again.
